Chapter 10
Summer
The next few days leading up to Christmas passed by in a blur of utter chaos. Between making sure we delivered everyone’s ‘Christmas presents’ and keeping our staff happy with limited hours, we were under an insane amount of pressure. Not to mention, the tension between Colton and I was so insanely thick, you needed a machete to cut through it.
I didn’t want to be around him. The way I had lost control over the truck last Friday had been completely embarrassing. Here I was, the person my dad trusted the most in the company, and I had failed.
I had gone into shock and let Colton drive us back home as though I was incapable.
In the days that followed, I avoided him at all costs. I didn’t want to get to know him. I didn’t need my heart to grow any fonder of him. The butterflies that rose in my stomach every time someone mentioned his name needed to stop.
I had Dylan.
And Dylan was too good and pure for me to taint by falling for another man – a taken one at that.
I hid in my office the entire day, only stepping out to use the bathroom and address my father about a few pestering customers.
I was typing out a text to my cousin and best friend, so I didn’t see him at the entrance of my office until he cleared his throat. I quickly looked up, a blush warming my cheeks.
Speak of the devil.
I quickly sent the text before putting my phone face down on the desk.
“A container of engines has arrived,” he started, yanking a hand through his dark hair, leaving a dirty mark on his forehead.
“And everyone is on lunch, so you need my help,” I finished for him, standing from my seat. I heard my phone ding, and I fought the need to see Maddi’s response to my bitching about a certain sexy co-worker.
“Yeah. Your dad told me to come get you.” I brushed past him since he didn’t move from my doorway and headed for the unloading area. “Are you mad at me or something?” He easily kept pace with my short legs, which childishly irritated me.
“Have you done something I should be mad about?” I pushed through the back door and walked through the shop, stepping over car parts until I made my way outside. The cool, December breeze blew across my face, immediately calming me down.
“Not that I can think of, but you’ve been avoiding me since Friday.”
So, he had noticed.
“Just been busy,” I partially lied. Truth was, we had kind of been pretty busy. “Didn’t realize you needed to see me every day.” I shrugged, standing to the side of the large truck so I could safely peer inside.
He didn’t respond, and I jumped up into the truck to help begin unloading the engines and parts.
“Stand back, Summer,” my dad warned from his position on the forklift as he pulled on a strap to move the stuff in the back of the truck to the front.
I took a step back, thinking I was far enough away. I had done this over a hundred times with my dad, and nothing had happened before, but like always, he was paranoid about me getting hurt.
I heard a loud scraping noise, and I brought my hands to my ears just as I saw my dad’s eyes widen in panic. Then, it all happened quickly.
“Get down!” he yelled. I saw the strap had come loose from the forklift. It was floating in the air, heading straight for me.
I froze, my knees locking even though I knew I needed to get down. My fight or flight instinct had gone out the window, leaving me immobile as my brain completely stopped sending signals to the rest of my body.
“Move, Summer!” Colton yelled from behind me, but I couldn’t.
I watched in slow motion as the strap with a large metal clasp inched closer towards my face, and just as it was about to knock me right off my feet, Colton’s hard body tackled me to the ground.
His large hands cradled my head as he sighed in relief, his hot, minty breath blowing against my cheek. My back was pressed to the cold ground, and it sent a chill right down my spine.
I was dazed and confused. Colton’s hard, sweaty body was on top of mine, protecting me from the now still strap.
“Are you okay?” he whispered near my ear, causing a flurry of butterflies to take flight in my stomach.
He’s so close to me. I can feel every inch of him.
“Uh,” I cleared my throat, “yeah. I didn’t know that could happen.” He stood just as my dad rushed over, anger coating his features.
“Inside now,” he ordered, pointing to the garage door. Embarrassed, I looked to the ground, avoiding everyone’s gaze. “Thank you, Colton,” he muttered before he followed me into the shop.
I turned to face him, tears shining in my eyes. “I didn’t know that could happen!” I cried.
“How stupid and oblivious can you be? Standing there when I’m pulling the engines out of the container! This is why your mother doesn’t want you here!” he shouted at me.
His words cut me. I rubbed my exposed arms, unable to look at him. “I’m sorry, Dad,” I cried.
His arms wrapped around me, and I felt his anger subside. “Are you okay?” he rumbled, crushing me against his chest.
I nodded, my tears flowing down my hot cheeks. “I didn’t know, Dad,” I croaked. “I’m sorry.”
His hold on me tightened. “I need you to be careful. I don’t want to lose you. Your mother and I won’t survive that, Summer.” I nodded, burying my face against his warm, protective chest.
“I’ll be careful; I promise.”
Colton found me a few hours later, concern shining in his emerald-green eyes. “I’m sorry if I was a bit rough earlier. I wasn’t thinking.” He swallowed thickly, his Adam”s apple bobbing in his throat. “I just had to get you out of the way.”
“I’m okay.” I drew in a deep breath. The smell of him was intoxicating. “Thank you.”
He rubbed his neck, looking unsure of himself.
“I hope I didn’t say something to offend you on Friday,” he finally mumbled. “You’ve been acting strange since.” He stared down at me over my computer screen, looking deeper into my eyes than any other employee ever had.
“Just been busy,” I mumbled, not wanting to have this awkward conversation. I was trying to build my defenses against him, and he wasn’t making it easy.
“Cut this hard woman energy. It isn’t you.” Gritting my teeth, I stood from my seat, outraged that he dared to speak to me like that, but also shocked that he thought he knew me.
“You don’t know me,” I sneered, planting my hands on the desk as I glared at him.
With a scoff that only infuriated me even more, he inched even closer to me. I got a whiff of his cologne again. It was mixed with the stench of a hard day’s worth of work, and it was intoxicating.
“I know more than you think, darling.” The cocky asshole smirked, his lips pulling up. I had to fight every muscle in my body to stay angry, to not sink back into my chair and swoon.
“Go home to your fiancée, Colton,” I bitterly responded as I forced myself to remember her. However, the intensity in his gaze didn’t waver nor did the heat in his eyes as they scanned my face, making my insides squirm.
“Is that the problem, Summer?” he questioned. “You think I don’t acknowledge her enough?” I was thrown back by the sudden anger in his voice. “Don’t worry your pretty little head about her. I came here to ask if we,” he paused to point between him and me, “are okay – not to be told to go home to Shannon.”
White-hot anger flooded every rational thought I had left. “Don’t know why we wouldn’t be fine,” I snapped at him. “We’re just co-workers, after all.”
He leaned impossibly closer – so close that our noses almost brushed when he whispered, “and if I wanted to be more?”
Did I hear him correctly?
“I – I – I have a boyfriend,” I stuttered, reminding not only him but myself.
“Leave him.” He shrugged, pulling away ever so slightly, giving me enough room to clear my foggy mind, but I was still stammering. Colton had just thrown me for a serious loop.
“I’m not a home wrecker,” I finally managed.
“You aren’t wrecking a home, darling.” A smile pulled at his lips that had my heart somersaulting in my chest. “You’re freeing me from a prison sentence.” With that, he backtracked out of my office with a wave. Then, he was gone, leaving me to repeat his parting sentence over and over in my mind.
Picking up my phone, I pulled up my messages with Maddi. I had never seen her reply to my earlier message.
Summer: I wish he wasn’t so hot.
Maddi: You know you want to tap that hot ass. What’s stopping you again?
Summer: He’s engaged, Mads.
Maddi: I heard you almost died today. Even better reason to tap that hot Navy SEAL ass. He’s not married. Steal him from the bitch.
Summer: You are a bad influence.
Maddi: It’s not a done deal until he’s married. If he’s flirting with you, he isn’t happy with her. It isn’t rocket science, queen.
Summer: He told me tonight I’d be freeing him from a prison sentence… what the hell do you think that means?
Maddi: He wants you, too. Duh.
Summer: Why do I even ask you for advice again?
Maddi: Cause I’m your fav cuz… I mean really what would you do without me?
Summer: I wouldn’t be even more conflicted… what about Dylan?
Maddi: Send him my way. I’ll take care of him!
Summer: I hate you.
Maddi: I love you, too, cuz.
Putting my phone down on the desk, I think over Colton’s last words again.
You’re freeing me from a prison sentence.
What was I even supposed to make of that?